Saturday, December 30, 2006

Don't ask me why, but Charlie's breast is showing some blood again. It heals a little, he jumps to the floor, or plays too hard, and the wound opens again.

I had an appointment with the vet on Thursday, but the skeleton staff was involved in an emergency surgery when I took him in.

It's up to me to use his antiseptic wash and ointment until I can get him back on Tuesday.

Charlie do not like this kind of treatment. The thing to do is wrap him in a towel to restrain him, then apply the medicines.

Lyman is afraid of him -- both to hold him and to apply the stuff. So the last two days, I've been learning to do this by myself. It can be done. I throw a small bath towel over him, flip him onto his back, then avoid those feet and that beak while I apply the antiseptic solution, then the cream.

Something I plan to do in future is "towel" him once a day or a few times a week. Then it won't be so traumatic when it's necessary. Books I've read in the past have suggested establishing this practice, just for this and other purposes. I neglected doing that -- and now I don't know why.

Take it from me. Go ahead and start young. Make it fun. Give the bird a treat afterward.

Christmas morning is a pretty nasty piece of work this year. It's overcast, drizzly, and chilly for these parts.

To compensate, Charlie's first words this morning were "We wish you a Merry Christmas!" Granted, they might well be his first words on January 6, April 10 and July 22, but they sit well today.

I was sitting here in the dark at about 6 this morning when I heard a low drone. Only occasionally do we hear an airplane or a jet here, so I wondered who was flying so early on Christmas day.

No one. That's Jason snoring on the couch.

I have, I think, managed to contract whatever upper respiratory illness is going around. But the party was Saturday, and our Christmas dinner proper was last night, and there are fixin's for ham sandwiches in the house, little buddies. I'm signing out of the kitchen for a day or two.

UPDATE: Maybe just one more thing.

The day after the food holidays, my mother would always cook a pot of plainly-seasoned (salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil) pinto beans to eat with cornbread. I think I'll do that now. Lyman won't care for them, but I will and my brother will.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Do not reroll the scraps, she advises. So I pushed some scraps together and baked a pan. They are light and tasty. Lyman complained that they were overcooked, but honey, that's what happens with scraps.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Actually, it's a restaurant on Esplanade called the "Port of Call". Fine hamburgers, stuffed potatoes and steaks, keeps many hours, has a top-notch jukebox and ...

the most interesting women's water closet.

For years, people have been collecting pictures and quotes which were decoupaged onto the walls. Last I saw, some trashies had done some graffiti with markers. I remarked on that to the waitress, and she said they would rectify that.

I receive a little money at Christmas myself, and I like to give a gift to the house.

We have one more wall in the guest room which will need something. I propose a large decoupaged canvas in basic black and white. Price of admission to sleep there is something the guest took from a magazine, a newspaper, a ticket, an e-mail, a receipt, a work notice.

When one canvas is filled (should that ever happen), we'll start another.

I can pay four or five hundred for art, but why can't we make our own?

Last Christmas, when finances were really tight, I made up a couple of gift baskets - a big one for the garden (she loves gardening), a smaller one of junk food that I don’t have room for in the grocery budget so she doesn’t get very often. They were a huge hit with her - and no clutter! This year she’s getting a basket of girly stuff (nail polish, hair thingies, etc) as well as another of food.

These were for a nine-year-old daughter. They sound like wonderful gifts to me, whether the budget is tight or not.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Tomorrow night we are planning a lamb dinner, using this recipe, minus the chick pea salad, adding yellow rice and grilled zucchini.

My brother will be part of that.

And Lyman's younger boy called last night, saying he'll be coming in on next Saturday.

His friend has requested a party at our house that evening, which just means that he wants Lyman to cook. Which means that I help. This is not a problem. It's something of a return to the norm of several years ago with some wives added.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

I have been working for a week on creating some video for Charlie fans, and this is what we have now. Next year we'll work on Hanukkah. He is still not working well with the camera, so you can glimpse him over behind the swing.

Perhaps as a gift to myself and to you I'll work on all the catchy little effects for movies soon.

Charles sat down at the bar with Big Daddy, whereupon they proceeded to ask about each other, and talk about news. My brother picked up another section of the paper, and the two sat peacefully while I packed things for him.

They conversed some more, with Big Daddy offering Charles another of our satsumas. And so the simple afternoon went on, until it was time for Charles to walk his dog, and Big Daddy to go home to his wife.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Don't laugh. This is a potted Leyland Cypress that we plan to use for a tree for a year or two or three, then plant in the yard.

Its little branches are fine and can't take much weight.

Lyman says it's ugly, the ugliest he's ever had. So what? Only my mother thought I was a charmer as a baby. Scroll down this page to see how ugly Lucy was as a baby.

I only hope that when he grows up tall he won't be hit by disease.

That Norfolk Pine in the left background has been the Christmas tree here for four or five years and it's outgrowing the ceiling. Planted outside, the poor thing will freeze some year, probably sooner than later.

UPDATE: Like this morning. It was 21 degrees outside when I woke, up from 18.

Chef Tony will complain that we didn't do the BBQ shrimp from scratch, but we've tried a half-dozen recipes that don't produce a product as good as this mix does.

Ben, a long-time friend of both sons came, and his sister E. later. Those handsome kids look alike, with exactly the same distinctive, and I think very attractive, Roman nose.

Well, E. wants a nose job. I think it's totally unnecessary and will actually reduce the quality of her looks, making her more average and less striking. She has a blonde Italian-type beauty. Ben is going into conniptions trying to talk her out of it.